Major champions and LIV Golf captains Bubba Watson [main picture] and Sergio Garcia are set to front a star-studded field at the International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco next month.

They will be part of a strong 18-player LIV Golf contingent for the fourth edition of the event, which will return to the iconic Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam from 11–14 June.

It will be the third event of the season on The International Series – the upper echelon of tournaments on the Asian Tour that provide a pathway to the LIV Golf League.

Two-time Masters champion Watson played on the Asian Tour last week at the KOLON Korea Open, in preparation for this week’s LIV Golf Korea, while his most recent appearance on The International Series came at the 2024 Indonesian Masters.

“I’m looking forward to playing a golf course that really challenges you off the tee,” Watson said about his forthcoming trip to Morocco.

“From what I’ve heard, it’s a little narrower than what we’re typically used to in the US, so there’ll be a real emphasis on driving and positioning, which is something I enjoy.

Sergio Garcia.

“Peter Uihlein told me he loves the golf course and the resort, and obviously Ben Campbell has some great memories there after winning the event not too long ago. I’ve spoken to both of them and they had nothing but positive things to say about Morocco.

“My whole family will be there as well, so I think it’s going to be a really fun week.”

The popular American left-hander enjoyed a decorated PGA Tour career that included eight victories alongside two World Golf Championships titles, before taking on the role of captain of RangeGoats GC on LIV Golf. He won the Masters in 2012 and 2014.

Garcia is captain of Fireballs GC and like Watson will be making his debut at the Morocco event.

The 2017 Masters champion is one of the most recognisable players in the game.  The Spaniard has recorded 11 PGA Tour victories, including The Players Championship in 2008, alongside 16 DP World Tour titles during an illustrious career.

Since joining LIV Golf in 2022, he has led Fireballs GC to seven team victories while also capturing individual titles at LIV Golf Andalucía in 2023 and LIV Golf Hong Kong last year.

The 46-year-old has also made his mark on The International Series, highlighted by a tied-fourth finish in Macau last year.

Adding further firepower to the field from the LIV Golf League are Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, the defending champion, New Zealander Ben Campbell, the 2024 champion, South Africa’s Branden Grace, Mexican Abraham Ancer, Anthony Kim from the United States, Josele Ballester from Spain, Elvis Smylie from Australia and India’s Anirban Lahiri.

The International Series Morocco was first played in 2023, and has regularly been played on the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.

Korean Jiho Yang was definitely the talk of the town last week after winning the KOLON Korea Open but everyone had a lot to say about another great tournament at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club. Here are the best quotes of the week.

First Round

First-round leader Jiho Yang from Korea on firing a brilliant 65 (-6) after starting his round with two bogeys:

• “I got a bit flustered after making two bogeys, but I told myself to stay calm. Then a long putt dropped, and from that moment on I felt much more comfortable. My shots and my mindset both settled down, and I think that helped me finish the round well. My wife is with me again this week, just like always. I get a lot of support from her. I’m trying to approach things with the same mindset as last season. I don’t want to rush, and I try not to get angry. As I get older year by year, I’m making a bigger effort to control my emotions and stay mentally composed.”

Charlie Lind from Sweden after opening with a 68 in the afternoon, avoiding the rainy conditions for the morning wave:

• “We obviously got the right side of the draw, it made it a lot easier. I saw guys were struggling out there early this morning. We just had perfect weather, like playing indoors, really. Played solid, just solid all over nothing really stood out. I feel like my game is definitely much better now than what it was last year. Feel more comfortable. My putting has always been good. The tee to green game has been much better this year, or I mean, I’ve been working on the swing for the last three years. I made a grip change, it’s complicated.”

Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent on his 69 in the more difficult conditions of the morning session:

• “I think obviously the rain and the weather always creates a little bit of interesting factors, but at the end of the day it doesn’t really change a whole lot, you know. You still got to hit a good shot, you still got to pick a target and trying to hit it as best as you can, and I think today what worked well was I just gave myself a bit of freedom to make some errors. There were going to be errors made, and instead of making big errors by compounding it, I was just okay with what happened, and just kind of moved on from there.”

Charlie Lindh.

Second Round

LIV golfer Abraham Ancer from Mexico about his second-round 65 to bounce back after a 73 on Thursday:

• “Yeah, it was definitely nice. Attitude wasn’t great yesterday. I felt like I was lacking a little bit of a good attitude, and just made mistakes that normally I don’t make and shouldn’t make. But I actually had a nice talk with my wife last night, and just trying to figure out, we’re just talking about life, really, and it felt like I was doing everything right. I was hitting the ball really good, but I wasn’t really seeing the results. We had a nice talk, I won’t go into much detail, but I had another way of kind of thinking about my round today, and it felt really good. Everything fell into place and I putted really well.”

On his long trip to Korea from Dallas, Texas after playing 36 holes in the U.S. Open qualifier on Monday, and only arriving in Korea on Wednesday:

• “Yeah, I mean, just trying to do our best. I mean, yesterday, obviously, this is a golf course that you definitely want to see some of these holes before you play it, and obviously we didn’t have the time to do that. We got in Wednesday at like 9.30 at night, but I felt a lot more comfortable today knowing where to hit it, where I can’t hit it. And these greens are tough, they’re fast, they’re really fast, and pin positions are very, very tough.”

His assessment of the demanding Woo Jeong Hills layout playing it for the first time:

• “It’s tough, it is really tough. Par threes are really, really tough. The fairways are the smallest fairways I’ve ever seen anywhere, and they’re super slopey too. So, even if they were flat, they would be tough to hit, but being so slopey is even tougher. You’re just playing out of the first cut in the rough a lot, and it makes it very tough to put it where you need to be to be in a good spot for birdie.”

Charlie Lindh when asked if the second-round 70:

On how his game has developed during his three seasons on the Asian Tour:

• “I mean, I’ve definitely learned to play on different types of grass. It’s so different out there compared to Europe, and anytime you get a course, or anytime I get back home, it feels like the game is easy. But then when I go back out again, it’s like I think I need to change grind on my lob wedge a little bit, it’s always something. But I mean I’ve gotten so much better around the greens on this grass, which obviously you need to be good around the greens anywhere, but it’s been tougher here compared to back home. So that’s a big thing that’s been better for me now compared to when I first came out.”

Second round leader Jiho Yang on his 67 which included a birdie eagle finish:

• “I was nervous even before teeing off because of the history and prestige of the KOLON Korea Open, but after getting through the first hole well, my swing started to feel more comfortable. From that point on, I just told myself to trust my swing and play, and I think that led to a good result today.”

On not having his wife on the bag this season:

• “Up until last year, my wife was on the bag for me. But she’s pregnant right now, so she couldn’t join me this week. But things are clicking well with my caddie. Also, knowing that we have a baby on the way is giving me more responsibility and helps me maintain my composure. I’m trying to be a bit more mature out there, which is definitely helping.”

Abraham Ancer.

Third Round

In third place after day three, Abraham Ancer describes his round after a 70 (-1):

• “Very up and down. I felt like I got to a very hot start, feeling really, really good, and then just kind of ran into a train there on nine, I believe? Hit it OB left, and actually managed to make bogey, which was really, really nice, but it was just tough. The back nine was tough to get it going, so it was a well fought round. I felt like if I had a bad attitude, it could have gotten out of my hands and really shoot a big number. So I’m happy with the way I composed myself, and it’s nice to make birdie on the last to get the last group. I know we are all way behind, but it’s gonna be fun tomorrow, it’s been a great atmosphere.”

On playing with, and trying to keep up with, the leader Jiho Yang on Saturday:

• “It’s just a really difficult golf course to really like make a ton of birdies, because you can make so many mistakes if you try to push it, and you try to play very aggressive it’s just not going to work out. And the putter got a little bit cold during the back nine, so it was tough. And he made everything, I mean, he played really well. He really, whenever he made a mistake, he got up and down. I mean, he played incredible golf, which obviously got I gotta respect that. It was, it was really cool to watch. And it’ll be interesting tomorrow, we’ll see. I mean, it’s gonna be weird being in the final group and being so far behind. But I mean, they told me this morning, I don’t know who told me, that Y.E. Yang won this tournament, and he was 10 strokes back going to the last round. Which I mean, this is a golf course that anything can happen, it really is. But yeah, today was fun, looking forward to tomorrow and we’ll see what happens.”

Charlie Lindh, in solo second through three rounds, shooting 68:

On his good performance on the difficult Woo Jeong Hills greens on Saturday:

• “Yeah, I mean, obviously, if you hit the ball where you’re looking on these greens, it’s gonna go where you’re looking as well. Because they’re rolling so pure, it’s just that the holes are cut in very difficult hole locations. So, but as long as you’re on the right side, you got a good chance of making a putt.

Commenting on the green speed which has gone from 12.6 in the rainy first round, 12.1 on day two to 14.1 in the third round:

• “I mean, you could definitely tell the difference, especially playing very early yesterday, where there was a little fog. Now they dried up this afternoon, and it got super quick. Just got to be careful out there on the greens.”

Still leading the tournament, and now by seven shots, Jiho Yang had this to say about his 67 which was the low round of the day:

• “I shot a bogey early, but I had a bit of a cushion, so I didn’t let it bother me. I was actually pretty nervous playing alongside great players, but the atmosphere was great, which helped me finish strong. I don’t think I played aggressively a single day this week. I was actually just trying to play safe, but the putts just happened to drop. It just goes to show once again that Woo Jeong Hills is not a course you can overpower with just distance.”

About not his wife stepping down as a caddie due to having a baby soon:

• “My wife has been talking a lot about ‘Mureogi’ [the baby’s nickname]. I give everything I have knowing my wife and Mureogi are with me. My wife never made big demands. Obviously, some things were tough because she wasn’t a professional caddie, but she is absolutely incredible for my mental game. That’s why we were able to win twice together.”

Final Round

Runner-up Charlie Lindh on his final round 73 after starting the day with a double-bogey:

• “I mean, obviously I just got shocked by the pin on the first, and after like a poor chip shot, I three putted it. It was just, obviously I was nervous, but I was also surprised of how much break it was on that pin, which put me on a little defense mode going forward during the day. But got my confidence level up a bit, and yeah, awesome birdie on last. I felt like after missing that putt on 17, I was just.. I told myself I’m gonna make a four somehow. I don’t know how, but I’m gonna make a four. Managed hit a great third shot from 160 meters up to like three, four meters, and made that putt which was a good feeling. Obviously, it was a little unfortunate with that start that I couldn’t really go for the for the win.”

About playing with the winner in the final round:

• “Yeah, I mean, he obviously played good all week, but he hit some worse shots at times, but he managed to save them – like as good as he needed for having that big of a lead. After that chip went in on nine, when it almost moved the hole a bit, that’s what counted. So, yeah, after that the tournament was over.”

Champion Jiho Yang after his 76 (+5) to go wire-to-wire and win by four shots:

• “It’s finally over! And I think I can finally eat. I was so nervous this week, and I felt like I was throwing up without eating anything all day. I think I’ve had about eight bananas today and that’s it. I think I’m ready for a good night sleep tonight.”

On negotiating the qualifier for the KOLON Korea Open right after another tournament:

• “I played in another event the week before and finished 17th playing in the final group. I didn’t play well in the last round, and I had a four-hour drive home, and I was completely exhausted knowing the qualifier was the very next day. I seriously debated whether to even go to the Korea Open and considered just taking the week off. But my wife insisted and even called a driver for me, and thanks to that, I made it to the qualifier. If she hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t be standing here right now.”

The International Series returns to Morocco for its fourth edition next month, gaining fresh momentum with Visit Morocco on board as presenting partner.

The US$2million tournament will be held from 11–14 June on the iconic Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, and is the third stop on The International Series this year.

The new partnership with Visit Morocco is through the Moroccan National Tourism Office and aligns with their objective of positioning elite sport with tourism promotion and highlighting Morocco as a premier golf travel hub in the region and beyond.

Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, said: “This year marks our fourth tournament in Morocco, and the progress we’ve seen with each staging has been remarkable. Each return has raised the bar for competition while contributing to the continued growth of the game in the country. Our decision last season to commit to two further years reflects Morocco’s strategic importance to the Series, and we are delighted to welcome Visit Morocco as presenting partner in 2026 as we continue to expand the event’s impact.

“Through this tournament, we are proud to bring some of the biggest names in golf to Morocco, while creating meaningful opportunities for local players to compete and elevate their game in a truly global environment.”

The tournament was won by Scott Vincent last year, and put him on course to win The International Series Rankings – which secured his place on the LIV Golf League this year. The Zimbabwean [main picture] has confirmed he will defend his title next month.

Since its debut in 2022, the event has received strong backing from the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid, reflecting a shared vision to grow the game in the North African nation.

The tournament has been one of the most successful events on The International Series – the upper-tier level of events on the Asian Tour that provide a pathway to the LIV Golf League – with the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam a firm favourite among players. It was voted the Asian Tour Players’ Choice Course of the Year in 2025.

Jiho Yang [main picture] completed an emotional and extraordinary wire-to-wire victory in the KOLON Korea Open today to become the first pre-qualifier to claim the prestigious title in its 68-year history.

He triumphed by four shots after shooting a battling five-over-par 76 at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club – taking full advantage of his seven-stroke advantage at the start of the day.

The Korean finished on nine under, built on rounds of 65, 67 and 67, and also secured a place in The Open at Royal Birkdale in July, as this week’s event is part of the Open Qualifying Series.

Sweden’s Charlie Lindh claimed second place following a 73 for his best finish on the Asian Tour. He holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-five 18^th to snatch second on his own from Koreans Jeunghun Wang and Sangmoon Bae.

Wang, who emerged as Yang’s main threat early on, shot a 71 while Bae, the winner of this event in 2008 and 2009, carded a 69. Wang, playing in the penultimate group, got to within four of Yang on the front nine but was unable to keep the pressure on.

Mexico’s Abraham Ancer enjoyed a good workout before next week’s LIV Golf Korea by tying for fifth after shooting a 73.

Jiho Yang.

“It’s finally over!” said 41-year-old Yang, who will be making his debut in The Open. “And I think I can finally eat. I was so nervous this week, and I felt like I was throwing up without eating anything all day. I think I’ve had about eight bananas today and that’s it. I think I’m ready for a good night sleep tonight.”

He’d finished 18^th in a pre-qualifier last month and, although a two-time winner on the Korean PGA Tour, in 2022 and 2023, arrived here as a rank outsider. His previous best finish in his national open was joint 20^th in 2019 plus in five starts on the Korean PGA Tour this season his best result was a tied-17th at the Founders Cup earlier this month.

When asked how he felt after negotiating that qualifier, he said: “I played in another event the week before and finished 17th playing in the final group. I didn’t play well in the last round, and I had a four-hour drive home, and I was completely exhausted knowing the qualifier was the very next day. I seriously debated whether to even go to the Korea Open and considered just taking the week off. But my wife insisted and even called a driver for me, and thanks to that, I made it to the qualifier. If she hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t be standing here right now.”

Despite starting the day with a seven-shot lead today, the nerves, as expected, showed at the start. He made bogey on his opening two holes but fortunately for him his closest challengers, Lindh and Ancer, playing in the same final group, also begun poorly. The former doubled the first while the latter bogeyed the second, meaning Yang’s lead was still seven.

However, it was Wang who unsettled Yang when he birdied three in a row from the second to close the gap to five after four holes.

Yang then steadied the ship by making his first birdie of the day on the par-five fifth, to move six ahead.

Wang then struck back once more making birdies on six and eight to close the gap to four before the pivotal ninth hole left Yang in a dominant position.

Wang dropped a shot there before Yang chipped in for birdie shortly after to go seven ahead. It meant Yang just needed a steady back nine to seal the deal, which proved a challenge, but he was helped further when Wang made a double on the 11^th to hand Yang a massive eight-shot cushion.

Charlie Lindh.

By the time Yang reached 18, after probably the most stressful nine holes of his 20-year professional career, he had a six-shot lead. This was despite dropping shots on 13, 16 and 17 but none of his pursuers were able to capitalise and mount a late challenge.

It was a tearful Yang who putted out on 18. He’d reached the green in three and with emotions visibly running high he rushed his first putt from long range 18 feet by the hole, with the broomstick putter that had served him well all week. He took two more from there for his third bogey in a row but with the trophy safely secured.

The win could not have come at a better time as his wife is expecting a baby soon. She is his regular caddie, including for his two wins, until getting pregnant.

He said yesterday: “My wife has been talking a lot about ‘Mureogi’ [the baby’s nickname]. I give everything I have knowing my wife and Mureogi are with me. My wife never made big demands. Obviously, some things were tough because she wasn’t a professional caddie, but she is absolutely incredible for my mental game. That’s why we were able to win twice together.”

Lindh was delighted to pull through at the end after his poor start.

He said: “I mean, obviously I just got shocked by the pin on the first, and after like a poor chip shot, I three putted it. Obviously, I was nervous, but I was also surprised of how much break it was on that pin, which put me on a little defense mode going forward during the day. But I mean I shook it off.”

The result beat his previous best finish, which was joint third in last year’s Taiwan Glass Taifong Open. He was full of praise for Yang’s today.

“Yeah, I mean, he obviously played good all week, but he hit some worse shots at times, but he managed to save them – like as good as he needed for having that big of a lead. After that chip went in on nine, when it almost moved the hole a bit, that’s what counted. So, yeah, after that the tournament was over.”

The Asian Tour has a week off now before it embarks on an exciting two-week swing in Morocco. The am green Bharath Classic will be played at Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort from 4-7 June and will be joint sanctioned with the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL). It will be followed by the International Series Morocco, which is returning to Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Red Course) from June 11-14.

Jeunghun Wang.

Adding to the occasion is the am green IGPL Morocco Rising Stars, an Asian Development Tour event which will be held at Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort next week.

Pictures courtesy Korea Golf Association.

Scott Hend’s remarkable career took another exciting turn yesterday when he claimed his first PGA TOUR Champions title at the Trophée Hassan II in Morocco.

The Australian trailed by two shots with 10 holes to play, but a three-shot swing on the par-three ninth, where Hend made birdie, and leader Tommy Gainey from the United States made double bogey, thrust him into the lead, which he did not lose.

He triumphed by five shots after firing rounds of 66-69-69 to finish 15-under at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam – venue for the International Series Morocco next month.

“It means the world to me,” Hend said.

“To win ​this tournament in the 50th edition is ‌very prestigious and very special to me.”

Scott Hend reacts on the 18th hole following his victory. Picture by Octavio Passos/Getty Images.

It was just his 12th career start on PGA TOUR Champions and earned him full exempt status on Tour through the 2027 season.

He earned his place in the field after topping the 2025 Legends Tour Order of Merit.

It is his 19^th win as a professional, with 10 of those coming on the Asian Tour.

He also won the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2016, and is arguably the Tour’s most successful international player.

Main photo: Scott Hend receives his trophy from Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco after the final round of the Trophy Hassan II on May 2023. Picture by Phil Inglis/Getty Images.

Jiho Yang is on the cusp of registering the biggest upset victory in the 68-year history of the KOLON Korea Open after opening up a huge seven-shot third-round lead today.

He continued on with his head-turning performance carding his second successive four-under-par 67 at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club to stay in front for the third straight day. He is a remarkable 14-under for the Asian Tour event.

Sweden’s Charlie Lindh is next best placed following a 68, while Yang has the comfort of Mexico’s Abraham Ancer sitting a whopping nine shots back in third. Ancer fired a 70 while Korean Jeunghun Wang carded a 68 and is fourth, another stroke behind.

Yang is attempting to become the first pre-qualifier to win the tournament, and his task is helped by the fact he can do very little wrong at the moment.

Four ahead at the start of the day, he was seven ahead by the turn, thanks to a moment of genius. He holed a 50-yard wedge shot on the par-five fifth for eagle, which was sandwiched between two birdies, before he made another birdie on eight. Bogeys on the first and nine gave the chasing pack hope, although Yang made another birdie on 10 to move eight ahead.

Charlie Lindh.

Lindh, playing in the penultimate flight, did his best to catch the runaway Korean pacesetter by making birdies on 11 and 12 while Yang dropped a shot on 11. It meant the gap was reduced to five, but it finished at seven after Lindh bogeyed 15 and Yang birdied the last.

Lindh and Abraham are seeking to become the first non-Asian winner since American Rickie Fowler triumphed in 2011, also at this week’s venue.

They will have their work cut out tomorrow with Yang so far ahead and very much in the moment.

“I shot a bogey early, but I had a bit of a cushion, so I didn’t let it bother me. I was actually pretty nervous playing alongside great players, but the atmosphere was great, which helped me finish strong,” said the 41-year-old Yang, who has been brandishing his broom handle putter to great effect.

“I don’t think I played aggressively a single day this week. I was actually just trying to play safe, but the putts just happened to drop. It just goes to show once again that Woo Jeong Hills is not a course you can overpower with just distance.”

He has won twice before on the Korean PGA Tour at the 2022 KB Financial Liv Championship and the following year at the Hana Bank Invitational – an event joint sanctioned with the Japan Tour, where he also spent time playing.

However, his brilliant performance this week is incomparable with what has come before during his nearly 20 years as a professional.

Abraham Ancer.

His best finish in his national open is joint 20^th in 2019 while he finished in 18^th place in the pre-qualifier for this week’s event last month.

On his eagle, he said: “I pushed my second shot and the ball ended up in some deep rough where I didn’t have much room for anything. I talked it over with my caddie, and we agreed just to get the ball out safely and try to save it for a par. But the shot ended up hitting the pin and dropping in. If it hadn’t hit the pin, it wouldn’t have gone in, so I got really lucky hitting it dead centre. That shot gave me a huge momentum and energy.”

Lindh’s game has been trending since the end of last year and he is on track to complete his finest performance on the Asian Tour with a good round tomorrow.

“I mean, again, solid,” said 28-year-old.

“I hit a lot of greens, and on the difficult putts I was able to hit them close enough to make the second one, at least, and also made a few nice putts out there.

“Obviously, if you hit the ball where you’re looking on these greens, it’s gonna go where you’re looking as well. Because they’re rolling so pure, it’s just that the holes are cut in very difficult hole locations. But as long as you’re on the right side, you got a good chance of making a putt.”

With green speed up to 14 on the Stimpmetre today compared with 12 on the first two days competitors had their work cut out.

On that Lindh added: “You could definitely tell the difference, especially playing very early yesterday, where there was a little fog. Now they dried up this afternoon, and it got super quick. Just got to be careful out there on the greens. It’s a long way to go – you can shoot big numbers on this course too.”

Should things go his way tomorrow he would become only the second European to win this event after Spain’s Sergio Garcia in 2002.

Ancer was full of praise for his playing partner Yang.

“He made everything,” said the Mexican.

“I mean, he played really well. Whenever he made a mistake, he got up and down. I mean, he played incredible golf, which obviously I gotta respect that. It was, really cool to watch. And it’ll be interesting tomorrow, we’ll see.

“I mean, it’s gonna be weird being in the final group and being so far behind. But I mean, they told me this morning, I don’t know who told me, that Y.E. Yang won this tournament, and he was 10 strokes back going to the last round. Which I mean, this is a golf course that anything can happen, it really is.”

Korean Minkyu Kim’s attempt to win this event for a third time came to an end today when he was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard.

Pictures courtesy Korea Golf Association.

Jiho Yang [main picture] continued his dream run in the KOLON Korea Open today shooting a four-under-par 67 for the halfway lead.

The Korean, a pre-qualifier, is out in front on 10-under from second placed Sangmoon Bae, his decorated countryman who won this event in 2008 and 2009.

Bae, one of only six players to have triumphed back-to-back in the tournament’s 68-year history, shot his second successive 68 – here at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club, a couple of hours drive south of the capital Seoul.

Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, one of the event’s star attractions who is also in town for next week’s LIV Golf Korea, fired a brilliant 65 to bounce back into contention after an opening 73. He is six behind the leader in joint third place with Sweden’s Charlie Lindh, who carded a 70.

On a beautiful sunny day that replaced yesterday’s rain and grey skies, Yang showed no signs of the pressure involved in leading his country’s premier golfing contests and on one of its toughest courses – with narrow, slanting fairways, treacherously fast greens and brutal pin positions.

Sangmoon Bae.

He led at the start of the day thanks to an opening 65 and remained in control by touring the front nine in three under, with four birdies and one bogey. He dropped shots on 13 and 15 but responded magnificently by making a birdie on 17 and an eagle on the par-five 18^th.

“I was nervous even before teeing off because of the history and prestige of the KOLON Korea Open,” he said. “But after getting through the first hole well, my swing started to feel more comfortable. From that point on, I just told myself to trust my swing and play, and I think that led to a good result today.”

The 41-year-old is a two-time winner on the Korean PGA Tour, in 2022 and 2023 but has only played in a few Asian Tour events since turning professional in 2007.

He said: “Up until last year, my wife was on the bag for me. But she’s pregnant right now, so she couldn’t join me this week. But things are clicking well with my caddie. Also, knowing that we have a baby on the way is giving me more responsibility and helps me maintain my composure. I’m trying to be a bit more mature out there, which is definitely helping.”

Bae, one of the golden boys of Korean golf a decade ago, is now 39 and looking for his first win since the Korn Ferry Tour in 2018. A serial winner on the global stage he’s triumphed three times on the Asian Tour as well as the Japan Tour and twice on the PGA Tour. He is also a nine champion on the Korean PGA Tour.

He started on the back nine quietly making the turn in level before a three-under-par second nine moved him into a strong position heading into the weekend.

Abraham Ancer.

“I feel like I’m starting to find my rhythm again,” said Bae.

“The score wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but I thought the overall game wasn’t too bad. Catching a few flyers and struggling with my iron distances cost me a few shots out there. As we know, Woo Jeong Hills has narrow fairways and demands a lot of patience, which makes it play different from my other recent tournaments. I do have a pretty good idea of my game plan for the weekend, and if I stay patient, I think I can build some good momentum.”

Ancer has done well to put himself on the shoulder of the leader having arrived here late on Wednesday unable to play a practice round. A call with his wife last night also worked wonders.

Said the Mexican: “Attitude wasn’t great yesterday. I felt like I was lacking a little bit of a good attitude and just made mistakes that normally I don’t make and shouldn’t make. But I actually had a nice talk with my wife last night, and just trying to figure it out.

“We were just talking about life, really, and it felt like I was doing everything right, and I was hitting the ball really good, but I wasn’t really seeing the results. We had a nice talk, I won’t go into much detail, but I had another way of kind of thinking about my round today, and it felt really good. Everything fell in place and I putted really well.”

Korea’s Chanmin Jung came in with a 71 and is in fifth on three under with compatriot Dongmin Lee, who fired a 70.

Minkyu Kim’s bid to claim the event for a third time became more difficult. The Korean, winner here at Woo Jeong Hills in 2022 and 2024, returned a 70 and is two over.

Korean Yujun Jung, in second place after an opening 66, struggled today carding an 85 to miss the cut which was three over.

American Bubba Watson was another to fail to progress to the weekend after shooting a 77 to finish at seven over.

Korea’s Jiho Yang [main picture] capitalised on more palatable afternoon conditions to take the first-round lead in the KOLON Korea Open today, shooting a fine six-under-par 65.

He leads from compatriot Yujun Jung, alone in second following a 66, at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club – in the seventh leg of the season on the Asian Tour.

Koreans Sangmoon Bae – winner of this event in 2008 and 2009 – Chanmin Jung, Jinho Choi and Soomin Lee, Sweden’s Charlie Lindh and American Austen Truslow are tied for third after 68s.

They all finished late in the day while the players in morning session had to battle through persistent rain and colder conditions.

Yang is a two-time winner on the Korean PGA Tour, in 2022 and 2023, but he will no doubt rate today’s round as one of his finest – coming in his national open, featuring a stellar field.

Charlie Lindh. 

“It rained earlier this morning,” said the 37-year-old, who has been a professional since 2007.

“I was hoping the rain would stop, and thankfully it did by the time I teed off. That made me feel a lot lighter mentally.”

He started on the back nine and made bogey on his first two before he boarded the birdie train with three in a row from the 13^th and another on 18. He dropped his third and final shot of the day on the first before the birdies returned with five in his last six, including on the last two.

He explained: “I got a bit flustered after making two bogeys, but I told myself to stay calm. Then a long putt dropped, and from that moment on I felt much more comfortable. My shots and my mindset both settled down, and I think that helped me finish the round well. My wife is with me again this week, just like always. I get a lot of support from her.

“I’m trying to approach things with the same mindset as last season. I don’t want to rush, and I try not to get angry. As I get older year by year, I’m making a bigger effort to control my emotions and stay mentally composed.”

Jung is another surprise frontrunner, throwing the form back out of the window. He has yet to find his feet in the professional with just two top 10s in nearly four years on the Korean PGA Tour. However, he’ll be hoping today’s performance in just his fourth start on the Asian Tour will mark a turning point.

He also started on the back nine and made the turn in one under before a fine bogey free second nine thrust him into the spotlight. He made birdies on two, three, five plus eight and played a brilliant second shot from the trees on the par four ninth to rescue his par.

He said: “I played a practice round on Monday and then played in the Pro-Am on Tuesday. Yesterday, it rained a lot, so I couldn’t practice for very long. But my main focus was to avoid missing greens as much as possible and just keep the ball in play not hitting any OBs.”

Lindh has been showing signs this year of a player coming into form, as was the case today.

Kieran Vincent.

“We obviously got the right side of the draw,” said the Swede, who tied for sixth in the New Zealand Open earlier in the year.

“It made it a lot easier. I saw guys were struggling out there early this morning. We just had perfect weather, like playing indoors, really. Played solid, just solid all over nothing really stood out.

“I feel like my game is definitely much better now than what it was last year. Feel more comfortable. My putting has always been good. The tee to green game has been much better this year, or I mean, I’ve been working on the swing for the last three years. I made a grip change, it’s complicated.”

Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent is in a large group of players who shot 69, although he was of the few to do so in the morning.

“I think obviously the rain and the weather always creates a little bit of interesting factors, but at the end of the day it doesn’t really change a whole lot, you know,” said Vincent.

“You still got to hit a good shot, you still got to pick a target and trying to hit it as best as you can, and I think today what worked well was I just gave myself a bit of freedom to make some errors. There were going to be errors made, and instead of making big errors by compounding it, I was just okay with what happened, and just kind of moved on from there.”

He’ll be hoping for a good result this week ahead of his brother Scott’s arrival next week for LIV Golf Korea. Scott is enjoying his second stint on the LIV Golf League by virtue of winning The International Series Rankings last year, while Kieran played for Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team in 2024.

Bubba Watson.

South African Ian Snyman, the most recent winner on the Asian Tour at the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open two weeks ago, carded a 72 along with American Bubba Watson, one of the star attractions this week. Abraham Ancer from Mexico was one shot worse. Both he and Watson will be staying on to compete in LIV Golf Korea.

Korean Minkyu Kim, the winner here in 2022 and 2024, carded a 74 and will need to bounce back tomorrow to have any chance of completing the hattrick.

Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent [main picture] overcame the elements to take a share of the clubhouse lead mid-way through day one of the KOLON Korea Open.

He shot a two-under-par 69 along with Koreans Jeunghun Wang and Dongmin Lee at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club, when rain and cold weather combined with a tough course set up to make par a good score.

They lead from Australian Jed Morgan, Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul and Suteepat Prateeptienchai plus Koreans Changgi Lee, Hanmil Jung, and Kyungnam Kang.

“I think obviously the rain and the weather always creates a little bit of interesting factors, but at the end of the day it doesn’t really change a whole lot, you know,” said Vincent.

“You still got to hit a good shot, you still got to pick a target and trying to hit it as best as you can, and I think today what worked well was I just gave myself a bit of freedom to make some errors. There were going to be errors made, and instead of making big errors by compounding it, I was just okay with what happened, and just kind of moved on from there.”

Those errors mainly came early on when he dropped shots on the first and fifth to slip to two over. However, he birdied six and eight to make the turn in level, dropped a shot on 11 before making four birdies in a row from 12.

Jeunghun Wang.

Said the 28 year old: “I honestly didn’t even realise I’d made four in a row. I was like marking my scorecard, and like on the third one, I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s three in a row already’. Yeah, obviously had some really good shots, made a couple of putts.

“I was kind of hitting it decently the whole day, and so it was only about a matter of time when a couple of putts went in, and so it was nice to have it all in a row.”

A dropped shot on 17 cost him the outright lead but it was solid start on a difficult day.

He has won once before on the Asian Tour at the International Series Vietnam in 2023, in just his second year as a professional.

“I think honestly, my game’s been trending, and it’s been getting a lot better,” he said. “I know I’ve been telling my team, like, hey, we’re not that far off, we’re getting better, we’re getting closer, and so yeah, today was just a good, good day to kind of see myself up there and thereabouts in the leaderboard, and obviously a good start for the week.”

He’ll be hoping for a good result this week ahead of his brother Scott’s arrival next week for LIV Golf Korea. Scott is enjoying his second stint on the LIV Golf League by virtue of winning The International Series Rankings last year, while Kieran played for Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team in 2024.

Pictures courtesy Korea Golf Association.

Minkyu Kim says the excitement is outweighing the pressure ahead of two of the biggest weeks of his season, starting with the KOLON Korea Open, which commences tomorrow, before LIV Golf Korea next week.

The Korean [main picture] will attempt to join only three players to have won his national open more than twice when he tees off at Woo Jeong Hill Country Club, before being part of the Korean GC team he joined this year in what is his first season on the LIV Golf League.

The 25 year old won the KOLON Korea Open in 2022 and 2024, on both occasions at Woo Jeong Hills, and should he be successful he will join Koreans Changsang Han and Daesub Kim plus American Orville Moody in the hattrick club. Han is the event’s most successful player with seven titles, while the others have triumphed on three occasions.

“The KOLON Korea Open is a very special tournament for me,” said Minkyu Kim.

“Just having the opportunity to go for a third win is already a big honour. It’s not an easy challenge, but I feel more excitement than pressure. If I stay focused, every one shot at a time, I believe good things can happen.”

Minkyu Kim and Younghan Song finished first and second two years ago to earn places in The Open.

His success in the tournament is one of the reasons why he was selected to play on the LIV Golf League, and it’s an opportunity he feels has led to a lot of progression.

He said: “I’ve really enjoyed my experience on LIV Golf so far. Competing alongside world-class players naturally pushes me to raise my own standards, and I’ve learned a lot both on and off the course. I also really enjoy our team KGC environment — it brings a different kind of energy to the game.

“It has definitely improved my game. Playing against so many different styles of players has helped me look at my own game more objectively. I’ve improved in terms of course management and mental strength, and overall I feel like I’m becoming a more complete player.”

The KOLON Korea Open is returning to Woo Jeong Hills for the first time since his victory here two years ago, as the course underwent renovations last year.

“Woo Jeong Hills is a course where strategy is very important,” said the Korean.

“It’s not about being overly aggressive — it’s about smart course management. Around the greens can be quite challenging, so short game is key, and I think patience is one of the most important factors to playing well here.”

This week marks only his second appearance of the season on the Asian Tour, after he finished tied for sixth in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open last month.

Minkyu Kim after winning in 2024.

He’s appeared in seven events on the LIV Golf League in 2026, with his result in Mexico, where he was eqaul 22^nd.

He said: “My game feels pretty stable at the moment. My ball-striking and putting have both been consistent, and I think that’s been a positive. I’m continuing to work on the small details to keep improving and build even more confidence.”

He has been paired with two other former champions in the first two rounds: American Seungsu Han and Junseok Lee from Korea.

American Bubba Watson and Abraham Ancer from Mexico are two of the event’s marquee players.

It is the 68^th staging on Korea’s most prestigious event, which is once again part of the Open Qualifying Series. The winner on Sunday will earn a place in this summer’s Open championship at Royal Birkdale.